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The Letter (1940 film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Letter | |
|---|---|
 The Letter movie poster |
|
| Directed by | William Wyler |
| Produced by | Samuel Marx |
| Written by | W. Somerset Maugham (play) Howard Koch |
| Starring | Bette Davis Herbert Marshall James Stephenson |
| Music by | Max Steiner |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | November 22, 1940 (U.S. release) |
| Running time | 95 min |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The Letter (1940) is a film noir released by Warner Brothers which tells the story of a married woman who kills a male friend, and at her trial tries to convince the court of her innocence. Adapted by Howard Koch from the 1927 play by W. Somerset Maugham, the film was directed by William Wyler and stars Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson, Frieda Inescort, and Gale Sondergaard. Herbert Marshall had previously appeared in the original 1929 film of the same name starring Jeanne Eagels and released by Paramount Pictures.
The Production Code was in effect at the time, and the censors demanded that a new ending be added. In the play, Leslie Crosbie, the main character, is exonerated at her murder trial, and lives with her guilt. But the censors demanded that Leslie suffer punishment for her crime, so a new final scene was added.
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, Davis was nominated for Best Actress and Stephenson for Best Supporting Actor. Davis set a precedent by receiving a nomination for recreating a role that had received a prior nomination in the original 1929 film.
Later versions of Maugham's story include the 1947 film, The Unfaithful, and television productions in 1982 starring Lee Remick, and in 1956 starring Celia Johnson and Roland Culver.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Bette Davis | Leslie Crosbie |
| Herbert Marshall | Robert Crosbie |
| James Stephenson | Howard Joyce |
| Frieda Inescort | Dorothy Joyce |
| Gale Sondergaard | Mrs. Hammond |
| Bruce Lester | John Withers |
| Elizabeth Inglis | Adele Ainsworth (as Elizabeth Earl) |
| Cecil Kellaway | Prescott |
 |
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